C5+ liquids rich in normal paraffins (n-paraffins) are ideally suited for several applications, including use as solvents, feedstocks for ethylene production, jet fuel and jet fuel blend components, diesel fuel and diesel fuel blend components, feedstocks for isomerization to make lubricants, and the like.
Historically, C5+ liquids rich in normal paraffins have been prepared by selectively extracting normal paraffins from mixtures, such as petroleum. This operation is relatively expensive and is limited to the content of normal paraffins in the feedstock.
Normal paraffins can also be produced in a Fischer-Tropsch process. However, the Fischer-Tropsch process also generates heavy products that can fall outside the range of use for the above applications. If these heavy products are converted into lighter products by hydrocracking over conventional acidic catalysts, an isoparaffin-rich product will be obtained, instead of the desired normal paraffin-rich product.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for new catalyst compositions suitable for use in hydrocarbon conversion processes, including catalysts which are n-paraffin selective.